Seractil (dexibuprofen)

How does it work?

Seractil tablets contain the active ingredient dexibuprofen, which is a type of medicine called a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). NSAIDs are used to relieve pain and inflammation.

Dexibuprofen works by blocking the action of a substance in the body called cyclo-oxygenase (COX). Cyclo-oxygenase is involved in the production of various chemicals in the body, some of which are known as prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are produced by the body in response to injury and certain diseases and conditions. They cause pain, swelling and inflammation. Dexibuprofen blocks the production of these inflammatory prostaglandins and therefore reduces inflammation and pain.

Dexibuprofen is effective at relieving mild to moderate pain and inflammation.

What is it used for?

How do I take it?

Seractil tablets should be swallowed with a drink. They start to work quicker if taken on an empty stomach. However, they should preferably be taken with or just after food or a glass of milk, as this can help to avoid side effects on the gut, such as indigestion or stomach ache.

The dose prescribed by your doctor (how many tablets to take and how often to take them) will depend on the cause and severity of your pain. Follow the instructions given by your doctor.

The tablets are usually taken either two or three times a day.

With musculoskeletal pain like osteoarthritis you will get most relief from pain and inflammation by taking the tablets regularly, rather than waiting for the pain to come back before taking a dose.

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is nearly time for your next dose, in which case leave out the missed dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.

Do not exceed the dose prescribed by your doctor.

The minimum effective dose should be used for the shortest time necessary to relieve your symptoms. If your pain persists despite treatment, seek medical advice from your doctor or pharmacist.

Warning!

Dexibuprofen is generally well-tolerated and most people do not experience side effects. The most common side effects are related to stomach irritation and include abdominal pain, indigestion and nausea. These can largely be avoided by taking the medicine with food or milk. Rarely, serious side effects such as ulceration or bleeding in the stomach or intestines may occur. These are more likely with high doses and in elderly people. The risk can also be increased by taking certain other medicines (see end of factsheet). It is important that these people, as well as people with a history of disorders affecting the stomach or intestines, are closely monitored by a doctor while taking this medicine. If your doctor thinks you are at high risk of side effects on the gut you may be prescribed an additional medicine to help protect your gut. All people having treatment with this medicine should stop taking it and consult their doctor immediately if they experience any sign of bleeding from the stomach or intestine, for example vomiting blood and/or passing black/tarry/bloodstained stools.

High doses and long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be associated with a small increase in the risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke. If you have risk factors for heart disease or stroke, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or smoking, your doctor will need to assess the overall benefits and risks before deciding if this medicine is suitable for you.

Very rarely, NSAIDS may cause serious blistering or peeling skin reactions (eg Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, exfoliative dermatitis). For this reason, you should stop taking this medicine and consult your doctor if you get a skin rash, blistering, peeling or sores inside your mouth while taking this medicine. This side effect is very rare, but if it occurs, is most likely to happen in the first month of treatment.

If you have cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure or kidney disease, you are taking diuretic medicines or you are recovering from major surgery, your kidney function should be assessed before starting and regularly throughout treatment with this medicine.

During long-term treatment with this medicine you should have
regular check-ups with your doctor so that you can be monitored for possible
side effects of the medicine. This might include routine blood tests to monitor
your kidney function, liver function and levels of blood components,
particularly if you are over 60.

Not to be used in

People who have experienced allergic reactions such as asthma attacks, itchy rash (urticaria), nasal polyps, nasal inflammation (rhinitis) or swelling of the lips, tongue and throat (angioedema) after taking other NSAIDs, eg ibuprofen.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during
pregnancy or
breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely
used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother
outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are
pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

This medicine should not be used in the third trimester of pregnancy, as it may delay labour, increase the length of labour and cause complications in the newborn baby. It should only be used in the first and second trimesters if the potential benefit outweighs any potential risks to the developing baby. You can discuss this with your doctor. Some evidence suggests that NSAIDs should also be avoided by women attempting to conceive, as they may temporarily reduce female fertility during treatment and may also increase the risk of miscarriage or malformations. Seek medical advice from your doctor.

This medicine may pass into breast milk, but in such small quantities that it is unlikely to harm the baby if the dose is low and treatment is short. However, as with all medicines, seek medical advice from your doctor before breastfeeding while taking this medicine.

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Just because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

Very common (affect more than 1 in 10 people)

Indigestion or abdominal pain. This can be minimised by taking the medicine with food.

Common (affect between 1 and 10 out of every 100 people)

Disturbances of the gut such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea.

Headache.

Dizziness or spinning sensation.

Drowsiness or fatigue.

Rash.

Retention of water in the body tissues (fluid retention), resulting in swelling (oedema).

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the medicine's manufacturer.

For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to make sure that the combination is safe.

Dexibuprofen should not be taken in combination with painkilling doses of aspirin or any other oral NSAID, eg ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen, as this increases the risk of side effects on the stomach and intestines. Some of these painkillers are found in non-prescription cold and flu remedies, so make sure you check the ingredients of any medicines you buy without a prescription or ask your pharmacist for advice before taking them with this one. Selective inhibitors of COX-2 such as celecoxib or etoricoxib should also be avoided for the same reason.

There may be an increased risk of bleeding if dexibuprofen is taken with the following medicines:

anti-blood-clotting (anticoagulant) medicines such as warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran (dexibuprofen may also enhance the anticoagulant effect of warfarin and if you are taking warfarin your blood clotting time (INR) should be checked after starting and stopping treatment with dexibuprofen)

There may be an increased risk of ulceration or bleeding in the gut if dexibuprofen is taken with corticosteroids such as prednisolone.

There may be an increased risk of side effects on the kidneys if dexibuprofen is taken in combination with any of the following medicines:

ACE inhibitors, eg enalapril

angiotensin II antagonists, eg losartan

ciclosporin

diuretics, eg furosemide, bendroflumethiazide, triamterene

tacrolimus.

Dexibuprofen may reduce the removal of the following medicines from the body and so may increase the blood levels and risk of side effects of these medicines:

digoxin

lithium

methotrexate.

Dexibuprofen may oppose the blood pressure lowering effects of certain medicines to treat high blood pressure, such as the following:

aliskiren

ACE inhibitors such as captopril

angiotensin II antagonists, eg losartan

beta-blockers such as atenolol

calcium-channel blockers such as amlodipine.

If this medicine is used in combination with quinolone antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin or norfloxacin there may be an increased risk of seizures (fits). This may occur in people with or without a previous history of epilepsy or convulsions.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredient

There are currently no other medicines available in the UK that contain dexibuprofen as the active ingredient.

The materials in this web site are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor. The web site does not have answers to all problems. Answers to specific problems may not apply to everyone. If you notice medical symptoms or feel ill, you should consult your doctor - for further information see our Terms and conditions.